Marketing Reimbursement Grant Checklist

Mission Statement

The Shreveport-Bossier Convention and Tourist Bureau is the official destination marketing organization attracting meeting, leisure and gaming visitors resulting in economic growth through visitor expenditures and enhancing the quality of life in Louisiana’s Caddo and Bossier parishes.

The applicant must read the guidelines below to ensure they are eligible to apply.

These modified guidelines apply for the remainder of 2020 as a result of COVID-19 to provide additional support to tourism-related partners. Applications submitted by the first Monday of each month will be reviewed and scored that month. The Tourist Bureau’s board of directors will score the applications and determine the funding levels.

Click here for more details and to download a printable copy of the guidelines.

Click here to learn how to put together a marketing plan.

Eligibility

• The event/festival, attraction, museum and other tourism-related partners must directly impact leisure tourism in Caddo and Bossier parishes.

Criteria

• Increases visitation or enhances the visitor experience
• Complements the tourism sector and does not create an unfair competitive disadvantage to other local businesses
• Generates economic benefits through tourism-related activities for the local community
• Is sustainable, financially and conceptually viable
• Must fall into one of the following categories:
  • Festival/Event
  • Museum
  • Attractions
  • Performing arts
  • Visual arts
  • Film and award ceremonies
  • Food and drink
  • Other tourism-related business (Specify) ______________________________________

Grant applications do not apply to family reunions, public expos or conventions.

Below is a list of marketing reimbursement grants offered by the Shreveport-Bossier Convention and Tourist Bureau. Event/festival, attraction, museum and other tourism-related partners can qualify for only one grant per event.  Use the criteria below to determine for which grant your event qualifies.

Product Development Reimbursement Grant
The reimbursable Product Development Grant can be used for such things as entertainment, event logistics, graphic design and production, infrastructure, and marketing. It cannot be used for salaries. Grants up to $3,000 will be awarded based on the strength of the application and available funding.

• Is your event/festival listed on www.SBFunGuide.com?
• Will the event/festival be held at a public facility or other approved public/private area?
• Does your event have a strategic marketing plan and budget?

Start-Up Marketing Reimbursement Grant
The reimbursable Start-up Marketing Grant is to be utilized for development and production of the event to include entertainment, event logistics, infrastructure, etc. It cannot be used for salaries. The Tourist Bureau will consider supporting up to $3,500 the first year to apply; $2,000 the second year or $1,000 the third year, of the total project per calendar year, per organization. 

• Is your event/festival listed on www.SBFunGuide.com ?
• Does your event/festival run for at least one day (minimum of 6 hours)?
• Will the event/festival be held at a public facility or other approved public/private area?
• Does your event have a strategic marketing plan and budget?

Mid-Level Marketing Reimbursement Grant
The reimbursable Mid-Level Marketing Grant is to be utilized for development and production of the event to include entertainment, event logistics, infrastructure, etc. It cannot be used for salaries. Events require a minimum of fifty percent (50%) match from the requesting organization with no more than twenty-five percent (25%) of that match being in-kind contributions. Recipients may use allocated funds only for such purposes stated in the approved application. The amount granted could be up to a 3:1 ratio of estimated tourist tax dollars generated by the event.  For events utilizing up to 1,000 hotel room nights the maximum is set at $5,000, for events utilizing more than 1,000 hotel room nights the maximum is set at $7,000. A minimum of 40% of the grant funds must be spent on advertising and promotion that extends beyond fifty (50) miles of Caddo and Bossier parishes.

• Is your event/festival listed in the www.SBFunGuide.com ?
• Will the event/festival be held at a public facility or other approved public/private area?
• Is your event/festival receiving funding of a minimum of fifty percent (50%) match from the requesting organization with no more than twenty-five percent (25%) of that being in-kind contributions?
• Is your event/festival utilizing up to 1,000 hotel room nights?
• Is your event/festival utilizing more than 1,000 hotel room nights?
• Will a minimum of 40% of the grant be spent on advertising and promotion that extends beyond fifty (50) miles of Caddo and Bossier parishes?
• Does your event have a strategic marketing plan and budget?

Major-Level Marketing Reimbursement Grant Requirements
Funding requires a minimum of one hundred percent (100%) match with no more than fifty percent (50%) of that match being in-kind contributions. For events utilizing up to 2,000 hotel room nights, the maximum is up to $7,500, for events utilizing more than 2,000 hotel room nights the maximum is up to $12,500. Up to 60 percent of grant funds may be used for product development. A minimum of 40% of the grant funds must be spent on advertising and promotion that extends beyond fifty (50) miles of Caddo and Bossier parishes.

• Is your event/festival listed on www.SBFunGuide.com?
• Will the event/festival be held at a public facility or other approved public/private area?
• Does your event have a strategic marketing plan and budget?
• Is your event/festival receiving funding of a minimum of one hundred percent (100%) match with no more than fifty percent (50%) of that match being in-kind contributions?
• Is your event/festival utilizing at least 2,000 hotel room nights?
• Will a minimum of 40% of the grant be spent on advertising and promotion that extends beyond fifty (50) miles of Caddo and Bossier parishes?